How to test 5.7 hemi?

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snapetwo

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So I was able to buy a 5.7 hemi few weeks ago for $200. Guy said it was replaced cuz it ticked. No computer no harness.

I can't put it in the dart till I get the alteration.

Gonna cost me $2000 for a pc and harness and everything from autohotwire needed to make it run.

Is there any other way to check it?
1. Outside the car
2. Without harness or pc? Ha I know that sound rediculous

Btw it does turn over w a breaker bar on crank.

I just wanna know how bad this "tick" is
 
Pull the plugs and try to turn it, if not, pull the pan and look at the bottom end. If things look good there, pull the valve covers and look at the springs, looks good there, pull the heads.
 
Agree with the "clunk!" Lol $200 is a steal even for one with no harness, computer and has a tick. But yeah pull the plugs and get the pressure off the cylinders and thatll make it alot easier to spin.
 
I don't understand why you can't get yourself a standard LA distributor (points is simplest, or make my "emergency" lashup with a GM HEI Won't LA distributors fit the hemis?

Make an adapter to replace the throttle body with a carb

hwlcfa.jpg


zu5qn8.jpg


and........fire it up
 
I won't pretend to know alot, but the hemi does not have a spot for a distributor. its got the coil packs on each cylinder
 
snapetwo said:
I won't pretend to know alot, but the hemi does not have a spot for a distributor. its got the coil packs on each cylinder
Click to expand...

!!!DOH!!! Silly me

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What are the guys doing that run a carb manifold on them? Adapt a crank trigger ignition, like MSD? Frankly, I haven't paid attention
 
I agree w/ 273 that $2000 is a big adder to your $200 engine to control it. 273 or I are classic CMB's and would try to be resourceful if in your shoes.

A Holley Commander 950 would be able to control fuel injectors. I got an ECU for $120 off ebay. However, spark control might be tricky since Hemi's may have a custom tooth pattern on the "toner ring" built into the crank. Might check if megasquirt has software to decode the Hemi's crank signal. Used megasquirt ECU's are ~$250. Otherwise, someone might have figured how to mount a 36-1 toothed wheel to the crank pulley. Megasquirt understands that signal.
 
Would be nice to do it cheaper. I know I just don't want carb, I want fuel injection.

And the cost from hotwireauto

Harness $950.00 manual
Computer (new) $670.00
Diablo InTune $389.00
Accelerator Pedal $101.00
Oxygen Sensor 2 @ $60.45
MSD tach pickup $65.00
 
There is no cheap way. You could get a hemi6 MSd controller and a carb manifold. Hemi 6 controller is $500 and a carb manifold is $200-300 if you look around.
 
Go ebay for the computer and save alot of money. Also look on ebay for a used unmarried predator (not made anymore), trinity or intune. 73dusterB5blue is right, doing this aint cheap, but worth it in the end, he can also do your tuning for ya.
 
snapetwo said:
Would be nice to do it cheaper. I know I just don't want carb, I want fuel injection.
Click to expand...

The reason I suggested a carb is it sounds like you want to test run the engine. I don't know what your fab skills are, but I know darn well I could fab / slop/ through together some sort of elbow off the throttle body mount to put SOME sort of carb on there


I'll tell you EXACTLY what I'd do for a distributor. You did say TEST run?

I'd make a 2:1 reduction out of bicycle chain sprockets, and drive a distributor just like this:

(Coupl'a cheap pillow blocks from a bearing house, and .....................)

distributor.jpg
 
I would drain the oil in a clean container and look for metal. If there is a problem you will have metallic looking oil in the sunlight. They are hard to turn over with the plugs in them though.
 
When I bought mine I barely was able to turn the engine over at all. Take the plugs out, throw a little oil in the cylinders and it will turn over like a wet dream. (unless something went CLUNK!)

No matter what I would pull the rocker covers and oil pan to check for obvious issues (broken springs) and metal shavings in the pan. If you find anything suspect tear it down.

As for a cheap means of making it run....well there isn't a super cheap option here without rigging something which probably wont work right. Its usually slightly cheaper to go Carb'd then FI but you can do FI inexpensively if you keep looking around. Look for a used harness and get a pin-out diagram from a service manual and make your harness. Or keep looking for somebody selling a used standalone system like from a crate motor or another hemi swap.

Things like the gas pedal, ECM, wiring harness can be sourced from salvage yards for quite a bit less. ECM is usually $100 or less from a salvage yard.

Occasionally Craigslist has a wiring harness or truck being parted out. Being cheap takes 500% more work then the expensive route but its all about how much work you want to do to save money.
 
If you want to do the work, I have an 07 car harness I will sell you for $100 plus shipping. There is a fair amount of rewiring you have to do to make it work
 
there are no simple ways to test them really. as said yank covers and inspect. If needed tear it down. I bought an 08 complete engine for 100 bucks that had a slight tick and had the #1 rod busted in half.
 
Well i guess thats what Im gonna do. Tear down best I can, look at it. I am just gonna have to get the harness and computer, and do what needs to be done.

Thanks all.
 
Did you pull all the spark plugs first and then try to crank it by hand? That needs to be step #1...
 
the pan gasket and valve cover gaskets are all reusable pull them off and have a look. Sure you can pull the plug and test but since we arn't dealing with old cork gaskets just pull em off and check em out. Heck I spent 25 bucks a piece for the headgaskets(oem from the dealership aftermarket was almost 50 a piece) if your that worried give them a yank and have a look.
 
Do you have any wiring at all?

Do you have any accessories?

Do you have the intake and exhaust manifolds?

If you have the engine harness (This is the simple harness that connects the sensors, injectors, and coils, to the computer) the cheapest route to getting the motor running is Megasquirt 3. You'll need to build or buy the MS 3 ECM, make/modify a wiring harness, fabricate or buy and adapter to run a cable operated throttle body FAST sells them for their 92mm cable operated throttle body (Originally these cars came with a drive by wire throttle body). Buy a fuel pump and use a combination fuel filter and fuel regulator off of a 99 Corvette. Total cost $1000 - $1500

If you have no harness at all buy the one listed here for a $100.00 and use it as your starting point for MS3.

Regardless of what you injection method you are leaning towards, as others have said, pull the pan and the heads and do a thorough inspection. If you have a broken rod, the motor may still spin freely.

Regards,

Joe Dokes
 
OK. So i'll break it down as best I can (from memory right now as im at work)

I have the engine, the engine has heads, valves, coverst, intake. it is missing the part of the intake that says "hemi". It does have the pullys, a water pump.
No exhaust manifolds

THe only wiring on it is for the the coil packs/plugs.

This engine was replaced by the owner...so everything else is with the truck.
Only cost me $200...thats why i have it and jumped on it.
 

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thats the best pic I have btw if your intersted in what it looks like. that is it..nothing else.
I am litterally starting from ground zero
 
Well I got some bad news. I pulled all plugs, pulled valve covers.
Went to manually spin engine with a breaker bar, and it will not turn. Not one freaking bit.
Now mind u, when I bought it, it did turn. So either the guy some how set me up and did something to let it turn at time of purchase , or somehow something has changed.

I had it sitting in bay, no go.
Lifted it up on cherry picker, was trying to turn so hard I started to flip engine over on itself on the chains.

Guess its a tear down now.
 
I've learned most of the 'discarded' Hemi's have bearing-problems.
Personally I think the thin oil used these engines, just can't provide enough protection against the abuse they get when used in heavy pickups, leadfoot drivers and carrying heavy loads.

I would start at the bottom end first.
Remember: head, main and rodbolts are stretch-bolts... so any of those bolts you take out, can't be used again!
 
Thanks. I was unaware of that. I think I'm just gonna tear it down and build it.
I am even considering going the carb route versus fuel injection. I want the FI but the computer and wiring are becoming to expensive and difficult.
Just trying to find out what kinda performance loss the carb has over FI setup
 
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